Piers Morgan has revealed what Cristiano Ronaldo texted him after being asked what he believes makes him the greatest of all-time.
The Manchester United superstar scored a hat-trick in a vintage display against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on Saturday to stake another claim to be dubbed the best footballer to have ever played the game.
"Today, I texted him to ask him to sum up in one word why he's the GOAT," Morgan wrote in his column for The Sun. "'I need three words,' he replied. 'More than special one, I'm 'The Only One.'
"Then he sent two laughing emojis. I could almost hear him chuckling – and winking - out of my phone. But he's right."
Ronaldo's eternal rivalry with Lionel Messi will always be at the centre of any debate over who is the greatest of all-time, as the 37-year-old added yet another illustrious record to his mind-boggling collection in the victory over Spurs.
Join the debate! Is Ronaldo the greatest of all-time? Comment your pick below.
According to FIFA, Ronaldo is now the top goalscorer in the history of football, having bagged his 805 th , 806 th and 807 th career strikes in his emphatic hat-trick, taking him past Czech icon Josef Bican.
The debates will rage on for years to come but his Red Devils teammates know their answer, as Paul Pogba labelled him "the best striker in history" on a weekend in which the Paris Saint-Germain ace Messi was booed by his own supporters.
"Ronaldo was brilliant," Pogba told Sky Sports. "I think that's all we needed – a reaction. We scored beautiful goals. Even when we conceded a goal, we came back and scored again. The mentality was there again today.
"Everybody knows Cristiano – there's no need to talk about him. That's what he does. He didn't play in the last game, but he comes back and scores three goals. Everybody's happy."
Interim manager Ralf Rangnick echoed the United midfielder's comments and heaped praise on the star striker who saved his blushes after a middling all-round performance.
"Today it was his best performance, at least since I arrived," Rangnick stated. "A fantastic performance. It was not just the three goals today it was also he was part of the team when they were in possession of the ball."
But what did the man himself make of it?
"Tremendously happy with my first hat-trick since I came back to Old Trafford! Nothing beats the feeling of being back on the pitch and help the team with goals and effort," Ronaldo posted on Instagram.
"We've proven once again that we can beat any team in any given day, as long as we work hard and stand together as one. There are no limits for Man. United! No matter what! Let's go, Devils!"
